USF climbs to its highest position ever in U.S. News rankings

• September 23, 2025
• Student Success, University News

By Althea Johnson, University Communications and Marketing

The University of South Florida has reached an all-time high in U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of the best colleges. In the rankings released today, USF is No. 88 overall among all public or private universities in America, up from No. 91 last year. USF also rose to No. 43 among public universities, up two spots from last year, and inside the top 50 for the seventh year in a row. Over the past 10 years, USF has risen an impressive 40 spots among public universities from No. 83 to No. 43, and 71 spots among all universities, from No. 159 to No. 88.

"The latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report are yet another indication of the University of South Florida's growing reputation for academic quality and groundbreaking research, and for making a meaningful difference in the lives of our students, the Tampa Bay region and the state of Florida," USF President Rhea Law said. "Our remarkable trajectory over the past decade reflects the collective commitment to excellence that defines our university. We remain focused on shaping the leaders of tomorrow, driving economic growth and providing solutions to the significant challenges facing our society."

U.S. News also ranks USF as the No.12 "best value" among all public universities in the nation. Students are recognizing that value, helping lead to USF receiving a record number of applications from first-time-in-college students in 2025 and welcoming an incoming class this fall with the highest average SAT score, as well as tying the strongest average GPA score in university history. USF offers an opportunity to earn a degree from a highly ranked institution and member of the Association of American Universities, a group of the leading 3% of universities in the United States, at a cost for in-state students of nearly half the national average for public universities.

In other rankings released today by U.S. News, among public universities USF is No. 17 for social mobility, No. 19 for the most innovative school in the nation and No. 42 for best colleges for veterans.

The publication's methodology for its best college rankings combines a host of factors that also align with USF's mission and strategic goals, including student graduation and retention rates, wages earned by graduates, research activity, faculty excellence and academic reputation.

In April, U.S. News ranked 31 USF graduate programs inside the top 100 among all public and private institutions, including 15 ranked in the top 50 and five in the top 25. The publication placed the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the top-ranked medical school in Florida and named the college to the highest tier of medical schools in the nation.